October 5, 2017
CRANE, Ind. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) hosted its third annual Invention and Technology Showcase last Thursday to honor inventors who had patents issued during the 2017 fiscal year.
A total of 81 inventors were recognized during Thursday’s event for excelling in their fields, aiding in support of the nation’s warfighters, and for creating and sustaining NSWC Crane’s intellectual capital and marketing potential. Dr. Jonathan Dilger and Christopher Brown were named Technology Transfer (T2) and Patent Contributors of the Year and received certificates of excellence.
“The innovative minds we have here today at NSWC Crane are amazing,” said Brooke Pyne, NSWC Crane’s T2 Director. “The technologies being showcased today have aided warfighters at home and abroad. Many of them have been essential to the mission, and have saved the lives of some of our service men and women.
“For the inventors sitting in these seats today, I congratulate you on this accomplishment, and I am honored to celebrate with you. I challenge you to push innovation to new heights and to continue to strive for technical excellence in support of our warfighters.”
Dr. Dilger established NSWC Crane’s first multi-university cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), and NSWC Crane’s first limited purpose CRADA in over 10 years. Brown has been engaged with NSWC Crane’s patent program for over 10 years and has built an extensive portfolio of over 20 issued patents with additional patent applications pending.
NSWC Crane has 15 active patent licensees that are working toward the commercialization of Crane-developed technology. It also has 46 active CRADAs that allow NSWC Crane to collaborate with external entities on further technology development. More than half of those 46 CRADAs are with Indiana-based companies, professors, or educational institutions.
“The NSWC Crane T2 team is recognized as a leader in the Department of the Navy as well as the Department of Defense, and the foundation of the Crane T2 program is the inventions,” said Capt. Mark Oesterreich, NSWC Crane’s Commanding Officer. “The importance of documenting and disclosing technological advancements is understood and supported by the Crane leadership, and I challenge you to continue to help the Crane intellectual property portfolio grow.”
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). NSWC Crane is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability of today’s warfighter.